Today is a monumental occasion: International Day for Monuments and Sites. Also called World Heritage Day, the event aims to highlight how important the task of conserving our cultural heritage is. A monument can be anything from an architectural work to a sculpture—something that has outstanding value from a historical, artistic or scientific point of view. Some of the amazing heritage sites around the world include Machu Picchu in Peru and the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt. The stone structure in today"s image is part of the medieval city walls of Ávila in Spain. Built between the 11th and 14th centuries, these fortifications have a perimeter of over 2,438 metres. When they were first built, they served to defend the city against attacks from outsiders; nowadays, visitors can walk around nearly half of the circumference of the walls, enjoying views of the city and the surrounding countryside.
International Day for Monuments and Sites
Today in History
More Desktop Wallpapers:
-
The ancient home of the Minoans
-
Lake Minnewanka, Alberta
-
Nature, art, and...math?
-
A day of swing and celebration
-
A warm hug in the icy north
-
Via Krupp, Capri, Italy
-
See-through cephalopod
-
International Day of Forests
-
Among the most photographed in the Rockies
-
Fit for a fairytale
-
The road less taken?
-
This blue succulent is as good as gold here
-
Time to make an impression
-
Platinum Jubilee celebrations
-
The sun sets on the Valley of the Moon
-
Grey seal pup
-
A dramatic celebration of peace
-
Gravity-defying wonders of the world
-
Postcard from the Canadian Rockies
-
Fly me to the moon
-
Where are these illuminated walkways?
-
A duckling swimming in a water meadow, Suffolk, England
-
Saint Andrews Day
-
Widespread and long-eared
-
Launching hopes and prayers
-
Wind-powered ice racing
-
Daiichi Tadami River Bridge, Fukushima, Japan
-
The ‘potato chip bird’
-
Sequoias of the sea
-
Giddy family fun